Comments on: Are Blue Dogs Just “Voting Their Districts” — Or Their Donors?

By: laurastrand

laurastrand — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 21:38:10 +0000

Let me re-phrase
If you can’t take their money, screw their women, and then vote against them, you don’t belong in the legislature.

By: laurastrand

laurastrand — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 21:35:36 +0000

Jesse Unruh – the BIG DADDY of California politics back when we were the Golden State claimed that any decent politician should be able to: “take their money, screw their women, and then vote against them, you don’t belong in the legislature.”
That’s a truism!

By: sporkovat

sporkovat — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 21:09:30 +0000

nice to see that you seem to treat “(Progressive Community and Democratic Party)” as partially overlapping sets.

often overlooked if folks only spent their time in Democratic Party online outreach type sites.

By: drfatman

drfatman — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 20:39:17 +0000

This is probably going to get me yelled at in big ways. Nonetheless, I am inclined to believe that we (Progressive Community and Democratic Party) as a whole would be much better off if about half (26) of the Blue Dogs lost their seats in the 2010 elections. Here is why:

(1) it dilutes their power in the Democratic Caucus (a good thing I think)

(2) if over half lost it would cause them to rethink their center-right tendencies and the remaining members may become less of a gaggle of corporate whores

(3) we would still have enough Dems in the caucus to maintain control

By: Zombiebirdhouse

Zombiebirdhouse — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 19:51:44 +0000

Any summary of someone’s opinion will inevitably oversimplify, that is why I prefaced my remarks with “My take on your argument.” Looking back though I’m not seeing where I called anyone a troll. I believe that everyone has a right to their opinion, but the commenter that you were defending ended the thread by calling Phoenix Woman a fringe radical.

I got so frustrated and angry with the idea that “It’s OK if you’re a Republican” during the past eight years and just substituting the word Democrat for Republican makes no more sense in my view. There have always been fractures between Democrats as there are between Republicans because many people actually have firm beliefs that guide their choices. For me, I don’t care as much about party affiliation as I do about supporting good legislation. If a candidate has no intention of following through on their promises than they shouldn’t make them. If they do, they deserved to be called out.

Anyway, have a great weekend. I’m off to check my beehives and roast a chicken.

By: Crosstimbers

Crosstimbers — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 19:18:56 +0000

I said pretty much what I had to say yesterday. Your summary of my position oversimplifies my views. In short, I have no objection to applying all of the pressure you feel necessary to convince Democrats that they need to support the most progressive positions possible. On the other hand, they are not all the same and virtually all are better, than any of the Republicans. I’ve spent too many years living under Republican government because of fractures among Democrats. Nice to meet you too, but hate to FDL get where everyone must join the choir on every part of every post in order to avoid being called a troll.

By: Zombiebirdhouse

Zombiebirdhouse — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 18:12:38 +0000

Actually, we met yesterday in another thread about the Blue Dogs. My take on your argument was that criticizing politicians that do not keep their campaign promises and vote with their donors over their constituents is counterproductive and that they deserve our loyalty simply because they are democrats. Since both you and Redfish were so adamant in your defense of the Blue Dogs, I assumed that you would both show up in this thread to continue those arguments. No sign of RF, so obviously I was wrong. Nice to Meet you.

By: Crosstimbers

Crosstimbers — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 17:28:56 +0000

Are you addressing me? I’ve been around FDL about 21/2 years, mostly agreeing, occasionally not on particular subjects. I don’t believe we’ve met.

By: Larue

Larue — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 16:59:12 +0000

May I suggest you visit politico.com?

By: Larue

Larue — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 16:57:55 +0000

Greg, I’d suggest that it’s the money, and KEEPING the money that motivates them. Status quo, ya know.

WE are a threat to BOTH of those points, GETTING the money, and KEEPING the money.

We are their enemy, and they know it. And thus it SHOULD be.

Like aging dinosaurs, we are their meteor, and they see us coming.